I do have a question about that double trailer. I'm thinking of something like that, but wonder how you are (1) washing the boat hardware, especially the akas & crossbars, and (2) how do you store those boats--do you leave them on the trailer?

Keith

_________________2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

I wash the boats right on the trailer after floating them on and then tying down the front with one strap each. I tried putting both straps on once but the boats floated the trailer wheels off the bottom (steep ramp)! At the same time I wash the trailer. It's mostly aluminum and stainless, but has some plain steel parts. I do normally disassemble the boats once home and store them on the racks on the side of my garage, but it's because I don't know what combination of islands I will use next trip. With the extra area I added to the trailer, the boats store on the trailer fine as long I place the front trailer support at a strong spot (mirage drive well).

After my experience, friends bought an AI double trailer and at my recommendation added plywood and rug over the whole area which works even better than mine. I don't use cradles because of constant changing mix of AI's and TI's on the trailer. Also with the ama's off, I can fit 3 AI/TI's across, with the ama's mounted to a little jig strapped on top of the hulls.

One negative, the double TI trailer is 8 feet wide which is tight on most Maui roads (got hit once already but with minimal damage to the trailer). I would recommend the double AI trailer for most.

As regards washing and storing, I store my TI on its Hobie cradles on the trailer, and at the ramp after use, I take the time to thoroughly wash everything down in fresh water (including the towcar!), paying particular attention to any hollow galvanised steel tubing on the trailer.

I use this time for relaxation, and an opportunity to sing the praises of Hobie in general and Islands in particular, to the passing holiday makers who are fascinated with this unusual creature (two buyers so far ). Everything then gets dried out on the short drive home, and the trailer then rolled into the garage after all bungees are removed from tension, and any inhull water tipped out (and 7Ah battery put on charge if necessary).